GAMSAT Practice Questions Answered

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Want to know more about GAMSAT practice questions ? When it comes to preparing for the GAMSAT, there is a lot to take in just to be able to pass for entry into University to study medical and the right GAMASAT materials can make all the difference with GAMSAT practice questions, samples, PDF’S free downloads and more.

Below are commonly asked questions on what most students ask when it come to the the GAMSAT entry exam. Please have a read and take in what is available. If you have anymore questions, please contact us

Who Can Sit The GAMSAT ?

Looking for GAMSAT practice questions to help prepare for the GAMSAT ? Any person can sit the GAMSAT who has completed a Bachelor or an undergraduate honours degree, or who will be in the second-last or final year of study at the time of sitting the test. If it will be more than two full academic years from the time you have completed your level 3 (A level or equivalent) studies, you are also eligible to sit the exam. There is no limit to the amount of times a person can sit the GAMSAT! You can prepare adequately when you try the right GAMSAT preparation materials on the web from Ace Gamsat

 

When Does GAMSAT Start ?

The GAMSAT is offered twice a year in March and September. The next exam is 11 September 2019 with a fee of $505. Registration for the March 2020 exam will open November 2019.The only way to register for GAMSAT is online through gamsat.acer.org

What Do I Bring To The GAMSAT ?

Basically, the only items permitted into the GAMSAT exam are:

  • Printed GAMSAT admission ticket
  • Acceptable current and photo-bearing identification document
  • Pencils (medium soft No.2 or HV recommended)
  • Pencil sharpener
  • Pens (blue or black ink)
  • Eraser
  • A clear bottle of drinking water (no labels attached)

Those who are sitting the exam may also wear an analogue wristwatch but may not use any alarm or stopwatch feature as these must be switched off. Digital watches and smart watches or phones are prohibited. There will be clocks provided in the test room.

All other items are prohibited and will be considered an act of misconduct. These include: 

  • Calculators
  • Stopwatches
  • Audio or recording devices of any kind
  • Digital watches
  • Smart watches
  • Note paper
  • Pencil cases
  • Rulers
  • Coloured pens/pencils
  • Highlighters

Personal items such as mobile phone, snacks etc will only be allowed during your lunch break. GAMSAT applicants are encouraged to wear warm or appropriate clothing during the exam. If you have a disability or a medical condition that might limit your ability to sit the test, you will need to apply for an Adjustment through your online account.  Check out the ACER website for guidelines if you need to bring a bilingual dictionary.

How Difficult Is GAMSAT ?

Those who have sat the exam previously would agree that yes, the exam can be quite difficult, however, there isn’t really an answer to the question as it will range from person to person! It will depend on your strengths and weaknesses and above all, how much you have prepared for the exam. For those whose strong points are not in writing, structuring an essay may be the most difficult and acquiring enough scientific knowledge for Section I might be more challenging for those who do not have a background in science.

The GAMSAT can be hard for others to stay awake for the 5 and half hour test. This is spread out over the whole day so it generally can take up to 9 hours all up. If you’ve never sat such a long test, this part may seem difficult to you. For most, the actual STUDYING component for the GAMSAT is the most difficult part about getting into medical school and not the actual exam itself! If you would like an idea of how difficult the exam is, doing GAMSAT practice papers can give you a general idea.

Why Is The GAMSAT So Hard ?

There is no correct answer to this question. Different people will find aspects of the GAMSAT more difficult than others and some may find the whole experience more challenging.  For example, in GAMSAT Section I, there is a lot of reading, which may be the most stressful for those who are slow readers. Candidates are required to write two essays within an hour, which can seem somewhat difficult for those whose writing is not their strong points! Graphs, diagrams, tables, text passages and a variety of other information is in Section III.

Another way that the GAMSAT could be considered hard is that fact that the test is 5 and half hours. The GAMSAT can be hard for others to stay awake for the 5 and half hour test. This is spread out over the whole day so it generally can take up to 9 hours all up. If you’ve never sat such a long test, this part may seem difficult to you.

Please note: all emotions, fear, doubt excitement, anxiety, determination are normal. To overcome these obstacles, there is really one thing that will help the most: practice!

How Does GAMSAT Work ?


The Graduate Medical School Admissions Test or the GAMSAT is prerequisite test run by ACER for the admission into dental and medical schools. It is designed to evaluate students abilities and skills through the use of concepts in basic science and general skills in problem solving, critical thinking and writing. The test is offered twice a year in March and September in Australia, UK, Ireland and selected international locations. Those sitting the GAMSAT are encouraged to begin studying a few months prior to the exam and to practice as many tests as possible!

What Are GAMSAT Questions Like ?

The GAMSAT exam is broken up into three sections.

Section 1:
This section of the exam is called the Reasoning in Humanities section and is basically testing your comprehension and critical thinking skills. (i.e. your ability to interpret written information, critically analyse this information and then use this information to answer questions). There are 75 multiple choice questions to be completed in 100 minutes, with 10 minutes additional reading time.

Section 2:
This section of the exam is called the Written Communication section and students are being accessed on their ability to formulate an argument and compose an extended piece of writing. You are required to write two essays in 60 minutes, with 5 minutes additional reading time.

Section 3:
This section of the exam is called the Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences section and the question cover physics, biology and chemistry. There are 110 multiple choice questions to be completed in 170 minutes, with 10 minutes additional reading time.

How Long Is The GAMSAT ?

The day of the GAMSAT exam consists of 5.5 hours testing time, 25 minutes reading time, and a 1 hour break before section 3.

Section 1:
This section of the exam is called the Reasoning in Humanities section. There are 75 multiple choice questions to be completed in 100 minutes, with 10 minutes additional reading time. Students therefore have 1.3333 minutes to complete each question in section 1.

Section 2:
This section of the exam is called the Written Communication section. Students are required to write two essays in 60 minutes, with 5 minutes additional reading time. It is common sense that students should spend 30 minutes on each essay in this section.

Section 3:
This section of the exam is called the Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences section. There are 110 multiple choice questions to be completed in 170 minutes, with 10 minutes additional reading time. Students therefore have 1.545 minutes to complete each question in section 3.

The only break in the GAMSAT is between section 2 and 3. This break is for one hour. Those sitting the exam may use the bathroom during testing time however, not during reading time or in the final 10 minutes of each section. There is no additional time granted for using the bathroom.

Ensure you arrive to the exam early. If you are late, you will not be allowed in!

 

What Does The GAMSAT Consist Of ?

One of the most commonly asked question about GAMSAT practice questions is, what does the GAMSAT consist of ? The overall Gamsat exam structure consists of three sections (sections I, II and III), which each aim at testing different skills. In Section I you are basically testing your comprehension and critical thinking skills. (i.e. your ability to interpret written information, critically analyse this information and then use this information to answer questions).

You are given 10 minutes reading time and provided with a variety of stimulus types (ranging from newspaper articles and short story excerpts, to comics and diagrams) and asked to answer 75 multiple choice questions within 100 minutes.

The 75 multiple choice questions assess reasoning in the humanities and social sciences.

In Section II of the GAMSAT, you are given 5 minutes reading time and 60 minutes to answer two extended response-style questions. You are provided with two sets of 5 quotes and asked to write an extended piece of writing in response to each set of quotes. Most people will write an argumentative essay and/or a reflective essay for this section. In Section II you are basically being asessed on your ability to formulate an argument and compose an extended piece of writing, so theoretically, you could write anything! (i.e a short story, journal article etc).

In Section III (the final section of the Gamsat exam structure) you are given 10 minutes reading time and 170 minutes to answer 110 multiple choice questions. The question cover physics, biology and chemistry.

 

How Much Time Do I Need To Prepare For The GAMSAT ?

Most people usually allow themselves at least 3 months to prepare, but if you are able to focus all of your attention on the exam, you could probably feel quite adequately prepared in only two months. That being said, if you are a person that would like to revise extensively for section III (which can be very time-consuming as it covers so much information), you might want to consider more time to cover everything. Either way, the sooner you register and commit to sitting the exam, the sooner you can start preparing!

How Can I Best Prepare For The GAMSAT ?

Preparing for the GAMSAT is best to break it down into the three sections.

Section 1

For this section students should be familiar with the following types of texts as these are likely to come up in the exam – essays, poems, cartoons, dramas, editorials, graphs, figures, short stories, essays, letters, journals, and biographies. All of these types of stimulus material can be categorised into the following 4 categories:

  1. Prose (in all diverse types)
  2. Poetry (including Drama)
  3. Social and/or Behavioural Sciences
  4. Editorial Cartoon and/or Graphic Representations

Regular reading and practice are the most effective ways to prepare for this section. An e-book reader is a worthy investment. E-books can easily be downloaded through the Amazon store and unfamiliar words can easily be learnt via the inbuilt dictionary. This is a great way to improve your vocabulary through reading.

Suggested Readings

Some great readings that will help prepare you for the type of texts you will receive in Section I include:

  • The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Defying Hitler – Sebastian Haffner
  • English Passengers – Matthew Kneale
  • Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
  • The Penguin Book of Twentieth Century Essays – Ian Hamilton
  • A Short History of Nearly Everything – Bill Bryson
  • The Story of My Life – Helen Keller
  • Vocabulary

Students should aim to improve their by utilising the tools on www.vocabulary.com. Students should practice questions from the MCAT word list.

Section-I-like questions can also be found on readtheory.org.

Our team has released a Full Length GAMSAT Practice Test, which is identical to the actual GAMSAT exam. Students should complete all of the Section I practice questions in this test. Students should then check all answers and go back and see where they went wrong. This is the most effective and fastest way to improve your score in Section I.

The 4 ACER booklets are also a must-have resource to practise your Section I comprehension skills.

Section 2

  • In the exam, students are to complete two essays – both Task A and Task B.
  • Essays should be at least 350 – 400 words.
  • Five quotes are provided for each essay task and all of the quotes surround a common theme.
  • Task A deals with socio-cultural issues and Task B deals with social and personal issues.
  • A title is recommended for each essay. Be creative! The markers are looking for the best ideas. Ideas are more important than spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
  • The best ideas get the best marks, so planning your essay in the first 5 minutes is the key to success.When planning your essay, read the series of 5 quotes carefully and determine the overall theme. The theme is quite obvious. Some examples of themes include: freedom, crime, poverty, wealth, punishment, science, technology, love, friendship, humour, suffering, youth, beauty, ageing, conformity, originality.

S2 – Task A

Task A is an argumentative essay. Each paragraph should be planned out.

Paragraph 1: Introduction – explanation and interpretation of a chosen quote or standpoint you have concerning the overall theme.Students should aim for three body paragraphs. They should be Thesis, Antithesis (or Thesis, Antithesis ). A concluding paragraph should then sum up and reconcile between the Thesis’ and Antithesis. Common themes that students could expect in the GAMSAT Task A include:

  • Freedom
  • Crime
  • Poverty
  • Wealth
  • Punishment
  • Science
  • Technology

S2 – Task B

Task B is a personal essay. It should be written with feeling. Students need to be able to explain and visualise how other people may be feeling in different life situations.The quotes that students receive have a personal theme, which allows students to relate the themes to their own experiences in life.

Paragraph 1: Acquaint the reader with the topic/theme and state your specific point of view.

There should be 3 body paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on a different idea that supports your specific point of view. A concluding paragraph should summarise the main points, then support the main view and end with a great impact on the reader.

Common topics that students can expect in the GAMSAT Task B:

  • Love
  • Friendship
  • Humour
  • Suffering
  • Youth
  • Beauty
  • Conformity
  • Originality
  • Ageing

Section 3
This section of the GAMSAT includes physics at year 12 level and biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry all at university level. The exam consists of 20% organic chemistry, 20% physics, 20% general chemistry, and 40% biology. Candidates are required to use their knowledge and the understanding of concepts in order to answer questions. This section involves the analysis of tables, charts, scientific information, and graphs.

It is important that students practise questions under timed conditions. The ACER booklets are a great start for practice questions. The AceGAMSAT team have released a ‘Full-Length GAMSAT Practice Test’ which contains 110 questions that are just like the real exam, so this is definitely a valuable resource.

If you want to know how to study for GAMSAT, then the following Section 3 topic list below is extremely valuable. These refined topic points are covered in great detail in the respective AceGAMSAT study guides.

  • The Biology Bible
  • The Organic Chemistry Bible
  • The General Chemistry Bible
  • The Physics Bible

Above all, the best way to prepare for the GAMSAT is pretty simple actually: practice, practice, practice!

 

How Is The GAMSAT Scored ?


Firstly, it is important to know that GAMSAT scores are mapped onto a scale from 0-100 (with a higher number indicating a higher GAMSAT score). According to the statistics, over 95% of students receive a scaled GAMSAT score from 40-80.

The GAMSAT scores are based on a statistical adjustment which is called the Item Response Theory (IRT). This ensures that GAMSAT scores are comparable from year to year. The score you receive in the GAMSAT is your scaled score. So, it is not your actual percentage performance in the exam / raw score.

Your overall GAMSAT score is calculated by using the following formula:

Note: The science section (section III) has twice as much weighting than each of the other sections. This means that Section III is responsible for 50% of your overall mark. However, some universities treat section III with the same weighting as each of the other two sections (I and II). These universities are the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne.

Section One:  75 Questions in 100 minutes, 25% of your mark

Section Two:  Two essays in one hour, 25% of your mark

Section Three:  110 questions in 170 minutes, 50% of your mark

An offer is based on what percentile your mark falls in
Score above a 65 overall.

Even though it is hard to estimate what would place you in the higher percentiles, and hence achieve an interview offer, it is important to remember that scoring a 65 or below is very unlikely to get you an interview for medicine.  Where once a 60 would have been sufficient at 65 should be your absolute minimum overall score. Note that scores are slightly lower for entry into medicine. A solid section two score is in the 70s.Do not score below a 60 for section one.mScore above a 65 for section three.

What Is A Good GAMSAT Score ?

A good GAMSAT score can be relative depending on the cohort, perspective, and on the medical / dental school you are applying for. The following are some guides to use when deciding ‘what is a good gamsat score?’. We will split the scores into three different categories – average, good, and very high.

  • An average GAMSAT score ranges from a score of 56-58. This places a student in approximately the 50th percentile, which means that 50% of students scored below this score in the exam.
  • A good GAMSAT score usually ranges from a 61-64. This places a student in approximately the 75th percentile, which means that 75% of students scored below this score in the exam.
  • A very high GAMSAT score ranges from a score of 72 or higher. This places a student in approximately the 98th percentile, which means that 98% of students scored below this score in the exam.

Note: A ‘good’ gamsat score may be enough for entry into one university, but below the cutoff for another. It is important to also keep in mind that most of the Universities take into consideration your GPA, when deciding to offer you a place for a medical interview.

When Are GAMSAT Results Out ?

The GAMSAT results are released within 2 months of sitting the exam.

 

Students are emailed login information to access their results. The next GAMSAT exam date will be September 2019 and the results will be released mid November 2019. If you have any other questions about GAMSAT practice questions, please contact us.

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